Let’s all embrace ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ campaign

It is no wonder that over four decades since the introduction of the ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ (OFY) programme by the Acheampong government in the 1970s, there are still fond memories of that crusade which was embarked on by the then government to make Ghana self-sufficient in food production. 

Years down the line, we are about to witness a similar campaign by the incumbent government, with the double target of making us have food and jobs in abundance.

The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, first hinted of the programme, known as ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’, at the 68th annual New Year School and Conference of the University of Ghana, Legon, in January when he was the minister designate.

We find it heart-warming that the campaign, which is designed to encourage people in both the urban and the rural areas to take up farming as fulltime and part time by April 2017, has already been projected to create over 750,000 jobs for the youth.

The Daily Graphic prays that as part of the campaign, steps will be taken to make agriculture attractive enough for the youth to want to venture into it.

It is gratifying to note that already the Canadian government has promised to inject Can$120 million into the campaign being championed by the Ministry of Agriculture, with the signing of an agreement to that effect taking place between the two countries.

Agriculture has, indeed, declined over the years and the government is optimistic that introducing the campaign as part of the ‘Modernising Agriculture in Ghana Project’ will reverse the declining growth of the agricultural sector over the past eight years.

Although there will be the supply of improved seedlings, provision of fertilisers and extension services, marketing of produce and E-agriculture, the success of the programme is not dependent on those inputs or the government.

We all need to embrace the concept and the campaign to not only rescue the declining agricultural sector but also ensure the creation of jobs, the abundant supply of food and a strong value chain.

Some of the challenges to agriculture are the land tenure system which makes acquisition of land difficult, the government’s failure to pay compensation for lands acquired for projects, the high risk associated with agriculture, the unwillingness of financial institutions to offer credit and the high interest rate that bars the sector from accessing loans.

Others are the continuous practice of subsistence farming, using rudimentary implements, instead of investing in mechanised farming, the poor attention paid to irrigation and the difficulty in accessing government support such as subsidies and in the acquisition of fertiliser and other agriculture-related merchandise.

In fact, the list is endless, but we believe that the commitment shown by the government in introducing the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ campaign will open up the agricultural sector to the support it needs to flourish.

Nonetheless, we urge the government to show good faith to the sector by slashing the heavy taxes and duties on agricultural implements and other products imported into the country.

The government can also lead the charge in procuring tracts of land from stools and families that own lands for agricultural purposes, so that farmers are not encumbered by their inability to access lands.

It should also put in place the appropriate structures to buy back produce from farms, so that those who venture into farming are not discouraged by the lack of ready markets for agricultural produce.